The Boy Who Cried
by RatheraMutemwiya
Summary: This fic is Draco/Neville S-L-A-S-H, with a new part posted as of July 29th! Other Pairings: Herm/Ginny, Harry/Pansy, Sev/Gild. Read and Review!
1. Of Temptation

The Boy Who Cried - Part I  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Alright, this is kindof a companion series to "The Girl who Loved". I  
can only handle one pairing in a fic, and so this one is going to   
deal with Neville and Draco, while the other concentrates on  
Hermione and Ginny. There will be some... overlap... in a way, but both  
fics should stand as well alone as they do together with any  
luck. Eventually, if ppl continue reading, the two series will merge  
into one for a seventh year finale- but that's only if ppl review!!!  
  
Timewise for those of you also reading "The Girl Who Loved" (all three  
of you), this takes place at the beginning of Hermione, Neville, and   
Harry's sixth year. "The Girl Who Loved" started a few months into the  
term, so the one scene you see in part III is *after* this.   
  
Warning: This is slash, like all my Harry Potter fics. This is Neville  
and Draco... but there isn't anything suggesting the pairing yet,   
really. If you think slash is perverted though, just stop reading  
here. Otherwise, read on!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Never, it was said, had the house of Gryffindor seen such a coward as  
Neville pass through its hallowed halls. For six years Neville  
had waited for someone to tell him he wasn't a disgrace to the memory  
of Godric Gryffindor, but if such a thought had ever been voiced,  
Neville had not heard it.  
  
And they were right, he knew. As Neville sat alone in a compartment   
at the back of the Hogwarts train, watching the occasional student  
pass through without a glance in his direction, Neville knew he was  
worthless. With Harry, Hermione, and Ron already at Hogsmeade,  
Neville was alone- no one else gave a second thought to his existence.  
  
As those thoughts passed through Neville's mind, a familiar figure   
entered the cabin and Neville realized with a groan that he was   
wrong. Draco Malfoy, clad in black robes of the finest silk that  
swiveled with each step he took, looked down at Neville with a  
haughty air. But when he spoke, the words did not drip with the  
characteristic venom Neville was so used to hearing in his enemy's  
tone. Instead, Malfoy sounded almost pleasant as he inquired,  
"This compartment full?"  
  
Neville looked up warily at Malfoy. "No, it isn't." He replied  
hesitantly.   
  
Malfoy surveyed the empty seats thoughtfully. "What about the   
boy wonder and his entourage? Don't you normally follow them  
around?"  
  
Something in Malfoy's words stung Neville to the quick- perhaps,  
he thought rather ruefully, it was the truth in the statement  
that made him so angry. But when he spoke, it was with all his  
customary timidity. "They're already at school."  
  
Malfoy settled gracefully in the seat across from Neville.   
"Figures. Dumbledore would want his favorite students safely  
ensconced with Voldemort out again."  
  
Neville blinked at the use of Voldemort's name, reflexively   
looking around the chamber as if the Dark Lord might pop out   
at him at any moment. Belatedly he realized that Malfoy had   
intended to insult Harry, and that if Neville were any true   
friend he would defend Harry. But in truth, Neville didn't   
see the point. Potter... that is, Harry... was more than   
capable of defending his own honor against Malfoy. So   
instead, Neville stayed silent.  
  
Several minutes passed before Malfoy made another attempt at  
beginning a conversation. "So Neville, I hear you've been   
bumped up to the advanced herbology class for next year."  
  
Neville looked at Malfoy sharply, expecting to see a mocking  
smile on the slytherin's face. Seeing none, he nodded in the  
affirmative. "Yes. You're in it, as I recall."  
  
Malfoy nodded. After a few more minutes of akward silence,  
Malfoy tried again to evoke more than a monosyllable reply   
from Neville. "Rumor has it you're better with plants now   
than that mudblood Granger."  
  
Neville opened his mouth to defend Hermione, then closed it   
again with an audible pop. Malfoy was right- why shouldn't   
he be proud of finally besting Hermione? The term mudblood   
gave him pause, but in all honesty that's what Hermione was.   
What right did a muggle like her have to come out of nowhere   
and make the pureblood students appear incompotent?   
  
Even as Neville formulated a few bragging self endorsements,   
Neville felt sick at his own thoughts. Hermione had always   
been so helpful, and yet here he was, trying to engratiate   
himself to someone who constantly belittled and insulted her.   
  
"I... I have to go..." Neville stammered as he pulled himself   
clumsily to his feet and headed blindly for the door. Fumbling   
with the sticky door handle, he stumbled out and away from   
Malfoy.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   
  
Malfoy watched Neville leave with an odd smile on his face. Father   
had been right, he knew now, Neville had potential. The challenge  
for him would be in harnessing it.   
  
With that thought, Malfoy slowly rose to his feet and went to join   
Crabbe and Goyle.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   
  
Neville let the gossip of Gryffindor table pour over him as he  
nibbled unenthusiastically at his dessert. The dessert was typical  
of the fine cuisine offered at Hogwarts- rich chocolate cake artfully  
decorated with rasberry syrup and shavings of white chocolate. But   
it held no joy for Neville. His mind was far away, on the Hogwarts  
Express, reliving and analyzing his short and seemingly innocent  
conversation with Draco. Something about it still bothered Neville,  
but he just couldn't seem to put his finger on it.  
  
While Neville pondered, the feast was winding down, and most of the   
students were leaving in groups. As he made his way from the dining  
table, one student paused by the Gryffindor table. Neville looked  
up and met the familiar gaze of liquid silver that belonged to   
Draco Malfoy alone.  
  
Smiling - not smirking, Neville noticed absently - Draco walked right  
over to Neville and asked, in a voice loud enough to be heard by all  
the surrounding Gryffindors, "Ah, Neville, glad I caught you. Listen,  
I was having a tad of difficulty understanding that herbology   
assignment we had over the summer. I don't suppose you could spare  
a moment to accompany me to the library and give me your view on  
the material?"  
  
Suprised, Neville stared at Draco slack jawed for a moment. Whatever  
Malfoy wanted to discuss with him, Neville knew with increasing   
certainty, it wasn't the herbology assignment. But the politeness  
of the other boy intrigued him, so Neville nodded his consent,  
ignoring the gasp from some of the Gryffindors around them. Looking   
down at his unfinished meal, Neville shrugged and rose from his seat,  
walking beside Draco from the hall.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
To be Continued.... My thanks to everyone who reviewed The Girl Who  
Loved, the next part of that will be up shortly.   
  



	2. Of Isolation

The Boy Who Cried - Part II  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
The Author's Note in Part I explained this story's time, etc, so   
make sure you read that first. Thanks to everyone who reads this  
series and "The Girl Who Loved"... especially everyone who reviews,  
it makes my day everytime I recieve a message from the Review Alert!  
  
Warning: This is slash, like all my Harry Potter fics. This is Neville  
and Draco... and some thoughts towards the pairing rear their head  
in this story. So please avoid this fic if you are homophobic/  
intolerant/ etc.  
  
Warning even to People who can Tolerate Slash: You aren't going to like  
my potrayal of Neville, I can almost guarantee it... but please read  
anyways!!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Neville and Draco walked in silence, feeling the eyes of Slytherins  
and Gryffindors alike upon them. "You'd think we were dancing naked  
through the halls for all the stares we're getting." Draco murmured  
quietly to Neville, suprising a laugh out of him. The laugh was only  
half hearted, however, for the image of Draco dancing through the   
halls was one that Neville knew he would stare at- but not mockingly  
in the least.   
  
As the two wordlessly turned their footsteps towards the library,  
Neville inwardly cursed his reaction to the thought of a scantily   
clad Draco Malfoy. True, Draco had fine features, elegant and  
regal, and his paleness, far from detracting from his beauty,  
instead added a supernatural quality to Draco's charm. From the  
glimpse of white skin that occasionally peeked out from beneath   
the folds of Draco's black robes, Neville imagined that the pale  
alabaster skin of his companion remained smooth and perfect over  
his entire body. That would indeed be quite a sight- but it was  
not a sight for Neville's eyes.  
  
After all, there was simply no way Neville could be interested in  
another boy like that.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Settling down at a quiet corner table in the library, Neville   
looked at Draco and murmured, uncostumary wryness in his tone,  
"Normally it is easier to study for herbology when one has a   
herbology textbook with them."  
  
Draco rolled his eyes. "I didn't bring you here to discuss plants.  
Surely you already knew that."  
  
Neville nodded in acknowledgement of the fact, and waited for  
Draco to continue.  
  
"I brought you here... to discuss the future. And the past."  
  
"A future where the world is ruled by You-Know-Who?" Neville asked  
ironically. "Isn't that the only future your family hopes for?"  
  
Shrugging, Draco did not try to deny the charge. "Yes. But that  
doesn't have to mean the end of the world for you."  
  
Neville's nervousness returned twofold. "I am loyal to the   
Ministry... and to Dumbledore." And to Harry, he wanted to add,  
but couldn't.   
  
"But are you not also loyal to your parents?" Draco asked in a   
soft, almost seductive voice.  
  
"My parents are dead..." Neville's voice faltered. He knew that   
wasn't true, but what he meant was dead to *him.* Last time  
Neville had gone to visit them, they had just sat there,  
expressionless and motionless. They might as well have been   
dead, for they certainly no longer knew him.   
  
"No they aren't." Draco dismissed the thought with a wave of   
his hand. "If you were to find yourself a new alliance... they  
wouldn't even have to be as they are now."  
  
For the first time in years, a flicker of hope entered  
Neville's eyes. "What do you mean?" He stuttered, leaning in  
to regard Draco intently.   
  
"I mean just what I said." Draco said quietly. "Lord Voldemort  
is capable of undoing what he has done. You could have your  
family back."  
  
Tears entered Neville's eyes as he imagined what his parents   
would be like... imagined his mother holding him in her arms,  
imagined his father standing in the audience at graduation  
with a beaming smile on his face... But the image faded to be  
replaced by another, one of the dark mark. "Why would... He...  
want to give my parents back their sanity?" Neville asked   
warily.  
  
"Because Voldemort sees that you have potential to be a   
great wizard someday. And he would rather have you as an ally  
than as an enemy."  
  
Neville looked at Draco, trying not think on the implications  
of the boy's words... someone actually seeing him as a   
potential ally... even if that somebody was Voldemort, it was  
still a glorious first for Neville. "Why are you saying this  
to me?" He demanded angrily. "I could go to Dumbledore right  
now and report you. You'd go to Azkaban for this..."  
  
"You forget, the school alone is Dumbledore's domain. He has  
no effect on the outside world. The ministry doesn't believe   
Voldemort has returned... doesn't want to believe." Draco  
smiled wryly. "If the ministry won't believe Dumbledore, why  
would they believe you?"  
  
Neville sighed. Draco was right, of course... no one would  
listen to him. No one respected him- not even his so called  
friends who laughed at him behind his back every day. Neville's  
hands clenched the Rememberall in his pocket with renewed  
resolve. "Fine. I'll join you. I'll join Him."   
  
With those words, Neville expected to feel his conscience eat  
away at him, to feel the guilt of his betrayal sink in just  
because of one phrase- one promise. But instead, he felt a   
surge of elation. Maybe now, working in the service of a man  
that wizards around the world feared even to speak the name of,  
Neville could make a name for himself. A place for himself in  
a family, and surrounded by people like Draco... people who   
had finally acknowledged his worth as no one else had   
done before.  
  
Draco smiled at Neville. "Words are all very well, but it is  
action that our dark lord requires to prove loyalty. You   
won't be meeting him for a while, of course... you wouldn't   
want those silly 'friends' of yours to be suspicious... but  
I can teach you of the magic that holds real power." Draco  
looked into Neville's eyes and decided a bit more praise   
was in order. "The dark lord thinks you may have quite an  
aptitude for it."  
  
Neville beamed, happy for the praise and no longer caring who  
the messenger was. But when he glanced up and saw a familiar  
bushy haired girl entering the library, he sighed. "Then, I   
will see you again later. I should go make sure Hermione  
doesn't worry." He hesitated. "Goodbye, Draco."  
  
Smile widening, Draco murmured, "Later, Neville. Don't let those  
goody two shoes push you around."  
  
Neville laughed as he got to his feet and headed to intercept  
Hermione. When he came to the slight bump where stone met ragged  
carpeting, he stepped over it without his usual tripping.   
There was a new spring in his step, silly as it may sound. His  
head was filled with thoughts of his parents and of showing  
the world that he wasn't just a clumsy squib as he accompanied  
Hermione back to the Gryffindor Common Room.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Draco sat alone at the round table, studying the scratches on the  
table's dark wood as he waited for Neville to leave. For all his  
suave postering and careful manipulating of Neville, Draco didn't  
feel like his mission had been successful. He didn't feel like  
he'd gained control of Neville, indeed, it was more like Neville   
had taken control of him. Certainly, Draco couldn't get the timid   
face and thin frame of the Gryffindor laughingstock out of his   
mind now.  
  
Shaken, Draco rose and walked absently back to the Slytherin Common  
Room. He might have been the victor of today's meeting, but it   
seemed this match of wits might have two players after all. For  
now, Draco needed to contact his father. A pair of former aurorers  
were due for a visit... and perhaps some medical aid. Neville's  
response had been too promising to lose him now because of a   
broken deal.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
To be Continued.... My thanks to everyone who reviewed the first  
part, I know Neville seems a little OOC but when you think about  
it years of being the slow bungler combined with watching your  
parents deteriorate further and further into madness are going  
to have some effect on the poor guy!  



	3. Of Friendship

The Boy Who Cried - Part III  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
The Author's Note in Part I explained this story's time, etc, so   
make sure you read that first. Thanks to everyone who reads this  
series and "The Girl Who Loved"... especially everyone who reviews,  
it makes my day everytime I recieve a message from the Review Alert!  
I didn't get a very good response to my Snape/Lockhart fic, "The  
Man Who Lied", so if you are reading this I would really really   
appreciate it if you checked that one out too.   
  
Warning: This is slash, like all my Harry Potter fics. This is Neville  
and Draco... although this story is focusing mainly on what drove  
Neville to accept Draco's bargain, so there isn't much slash *yet.* :-)  
  
Warning even to People who can Tolerate Slash: You aren't going to like  
my potrayal of Neville, I can almost guarantee it... but please read  
anyways!!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Neville fiddled with his quill as he sat, bored, through Snape's   
potions lecture. His thoughts were on his parents, mainly...  
although occasionally, a certain blonde Slytherin managed to  
infiltrate his thoughts, although Neville quickly drove him   
from his mind.   
  
His thoughts were interrupted when Snape suddenly whirled on  
him. "Neville! What potion uses unicorn hair and phoenix feathers  
as its base?"  
  
Staring up at Snape in horror, Neville racked his brain   
frantically for an answer- any answer. He knew this, curse it!  
But the sight of Snape glaring down at him, just waiting for  
Neville to make any mistake, emptied Neville's mind of all  
logical thought. "The... the Patronus potion?" He asked,  
snatching at the one name that entered his head.  
  
Laughter resounded from around the room- even Hermione, content as  
always in her academic perfection, looked rather amused. Snape  
almost smiled, but the smile was certainly not a pleasant or   
friendly one. "10 points from Gryffindor for not paying attention,   
Neville! And for your information, Patronus is a charm, not a   
potion. *And* it has no relation whatsoever to unicorns or   
phoenixes. Perhaps you need to return to class with the 3rd years   
to pick up the basic tenants of magic once more!"  
  
Neville looked down at his half filled scroll of notes, feeling  
faintly ill. He knew that, now, now that it didn't matter, and he  
also knew that those ingredients were in fact the base of the   
memorius potion. He felt the mocking glances of Slytherins and  
Gryffindors alike as his face heated in shame. Finally, he made  
himself turn to stare stonily up at the front in the classroom,  
listening halfheartedly to the continued lecturing of Proffessor  
Snape.  
  
As he fought back tears of shame at his own continued idiocy,   
Neville caught a glimpse of Draco out of the corner of his eye.  
Draco was not laughing, or even smirking over Snape's humiliation  
of Neville. Whereas Harry and Ron were still grinning slightly,   
even though THEY proffessed to hate Snape while Draco was one   
of Snape's pampered favorite students. Neville gritted his teeth-  
what kind of "friends" were they, anyways?  
  
Another 10 minutes passed without incident for Neville at least,  
but then it was time for the section of class that Neville dreaded  
with a passion: the application of skills into potion making.  
  
Snape walked around the class assigning pairs of Gryffindors and  
Slytherins to work together. Neville edged towards Draco, hoping  
irrationally that he would be paired with Snape's favorite  
student.  
  
Such was not to be, and Neville was instead paired with Goyle,  
one of the two idiotic boys who served Draco hand and foot. But  
when Neville took his place beside Goyle at the cauldron, he  
realized that considering how all the other students viewed  
him he really had no right to pass judgement on Goyle. So instead  
of trying to take over the potionmaking, as he saw Hermione  
doing across the room with Crabbe, Neville asked tentatively,  
"Would you like to prepare the solid ingredients or the liquids?"  
  
Goyle looked at Neville in faint suprise. He was used to being  
pushed aside by his partner, and not trusted even with the   
simplest tasks. "I guess I could grind up the powder part."  
He suggested, figuring that would be easy enough.  
  
Neville nodded his agreement, and the two silently gathered their  
ingredients. Snape ignored them, apparently having decided that   
there was no further sabatoge needed to make Neville and Goyle  
create a completely malfunctional potion.  
  
Without Snape shouting at him, or Hermione staring over his   
shoulder fussing over precision and care, Neville almost relaxed  
as he poured the various liquids into the cauldron, stirring  
them gently as he watched Goyle preparing the powders.  
  
Pleased to be given some actual responsibility in the assignment,  
Goyle took extra care while cutting the lengths of plants and herbs  
and grinding them down to add to the potion. The two were among  
the last to finish, and when Snape came around to check their  
potion they stood nervously aside.  
  
"Hmm..." Snape murmured as he studied the contents of the cauldron.  
"You didn't use enough ginseng. But otherwise, it looks almost  
decent." He moved on as Neville and Goyle simultaneously let out  
a pleased sigh.  
  
As the two waited for Snape to finish assessing the other students'  
potions, Goyle whispered to Neville, "Hey, do you want to join  
me, Draco, and Crabbe for lunch after this?"  
  
Neville looked up at him in surprise. Before he could think it over,  
he heard himself saying, "Sure. By the way... nice job on the potion."  
  
Goyle grinned- a rather twisted smile, but a grin none the less- and  
replied, "You too. I'll see you by Slytherin table then.  
  
Nodding his consent, Neville looked up and caught Draco's gaze upon  
him. Neville winked at Draco, and to his delight, Draco winked  
back.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Neville ignored his Gryffindor companions as they walked back to the  
dorm to drop off their textbooks before lunch. He was far more   
concerned with how everyone would react if he actually sat with the  
Slytherins. True, there were no rules *against* students sitting  
at other Houses' tables during meals, but it wasn't exactly the   
most common of practices either.  
  
But what did he care, really? Draco and Goyle treated Neville like a  
person. Everyone else just laughed and snickered when he was near  
them, as if he was a clown who had been placed in Hogwarts merely for  
their personal enjoyment. Let people stare, he decided. Gryffindors  
were supposed to be brave, so he was going to show that bravery by  
not caving to the pressure to follow strict house lines in friendship  
and love.  
  
In love? Where had that come from?? Neville grimaced as he followed  
his friends into the common room and upstairs to the dorms. He wasn't  
in love with anyone! Certainly not... certainly not a Slytherin.   
Managing to convince himself of that, he dropped his books in the   
mess surrounding his bed and, swallowing back his nervousness,   
went alone to join Goyle and Draco for lunch.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The Dining Hall was already overflowing with students when Neville  
walked through the large wooden doors. He spotted Draco sitting  
near the end of the Slytherin table, and hesitated. True, there was  
an empty seat, and Goyle and Crabbe were both already there, but...  
he forced himself to walk towards them. Cowardice is not a virtue  
of a Gryffindor, he reminded himself at every step.   
  
"Hello, Neville. Glad that you decided to join us." Draco said,   
pulling out the seat beside him. Draco spoke with less than his   
usual mocking drawl. Neville nodded to Draco and Goyle in turn,  
and then smiled uncertainly at Crabbe. Crabbe nodded back with  
acknowledgement if not outright friendliness.   
  
Neville fell easily into the pattern of chit chat about meaningless  
things that the three Slytherins began, and did not once turn to   
look over at the Gryffindor table. If he had, he would have noticed  
the occasional shocked look directed in his direction.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
To be Continued.... My thanks to everyone who reviewed the first  
parts, I tried to respond to the often request for a more vivid  
depiction of Neville's alienation from his peers. That resulted in  
a story with way too little Draco in my opinion... what do you all  
think?  



	4. Of Loyalty

The Boy Who Cried - Part IV  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
To learn more about this fic and its place in the altraverse I've  
created, go to my website at http://www.geocities.com/ratheramutemwiya/  
  
Warning: This is slash, like all my Harry Potter fics. This is Neville  
and Draco... although this story is focusing mainly on what drove  
Neville to accept Draco's bargain, so there isn't much slash *yet.* :-)  
  
Warning even to People who can Tolerate Slash: You aren't going to like  
my potrayal of Neville, I can almost guarantee it... but please read  
anyways!!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Neville awoke to a strong hand shaking him, and for a panicked   
moment he thought his grandmother had somehow apparated herself  
to Hogwarts for the sole purpose of disturbing his peaceful night of  
rest. "I'm awake, I'm awake" He mumbled, his voice slurred from  
weariness as he forced his stony eyelids to open and admit the   
horrid light of morning.  
  
But there was no light of morning, Neville realized in shock. The  
only light in the chamber was emmitting from the tip of a wand... a  
wand held by... "Draco?" Neville whispered hesitantly, "What are you  
doing here?"  
  
Draco waved his hand to dismiss the question, causing a headache  
inducing whirl of light from his wand to flash in Neville's eyes.  
"Just get dressed, Neville." Draco snapped with the tone of one  
used to being obeyed. "I'll explain everything when we are   
outside of Hogwarts.  
  
Relucantly, Neville tore himself from the warmth of his bed and   
pulled his school robes on lopsidedly over his silk red pajama  
pants and bared chest. Out of the corner of his eye, Neville saw  
Draco turn a shade pink and hurriedly avert his gaze from Neville.  
As Neville peered under his bed in search of his boots and a pair   
of clean socks, another thought occured to him. "How did you get  
into the Gryffindor dorm?"  
  
Rather abashedly, Draco held up the ripped corner of a scrolls.   
On it was enscribed the newest Gryffindor password, in Neville's  
own writing. "This fell out of your pocket at lunch. I thought it  
might come in handy."  
  
Neville managed a rueful grin at this. "Well, better you had found it  
than a mass murderer like last time, I suppose." He paused. "At   
least, I'm hoping you aren't a mass murderer."  
  
Draco laughed. "No, I'm not. Now hurry up." Neville pulled on his   
boots and followed Draco down the stairs out of the Gryffindor   
dorms.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Draco heard a loud thud behind him, followed by a muffled "Ouch!"   
He almost cracked a smile at this, and asked questioningly to the   
darkness, "Neville? You alright?"  
  
"What do you think?" Came the grumpy reply. Once a klutz, always  
a klutz, it seemed, Draco thought wryly. It seemed Neville wasn't   
much of a night person either. He retraced his path back through   
the last yards of the Forbidden Forest, his wand held aloft.  
  
Neville crouched on a large rock, nursing his foot with a rueful  
grimace. "I hope you don't mind if we take a moment's break." He  
almost snapped. "But some of us can't stumble out of bed this  
late at night and still function normally."  
  
Obligingly, Draco leaned against the gnarled trunk of a tree and  
waited. From there he regarded Neville with an amused smile, noting  
that their journey through the brambly woods was not improving  
the condition of Neville's appearance much. Neville's hair was  
tangled, and the occasional leaf had made its way into the long  
hair that Neville usually kept secure in a pony tail. The tie on  
his robes had fallen loose, and the ends trailed in the dirt of   
the road.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Aware of Draco's almost mocking scrutiny, Neville glared over at  
the other boy. Even after the tiring walk, Draco's appearance was  
perfection itself, his robes looked not a bit out of place, and  
his hair sparkled in full glory as it trailed down his neck, with  
only a few strands rebelling to fall alluringly over Draco's eyes  
As Draco reached one delicate hand to brush the strands away,   
Neville forced himself to stare down at his boots, suddenly intent  
on retying his shoelaces.  
  
Draco's attention was caught by a sudden gleam through the trees.  
"It's time!" He whispered gleefully, "C'mon, Neville." Neville   
rose to his feet with a groan and struggled to keep up with Draco  
as he ran towards the light.   
  
"You still haven't told me what this is all about!" Neville  
snapped rather peevishly, but Draco didn't answer. Instead, he   
pulled Neville forward, towards the light, towards a glowing  
skull. Draco touched the skull, and suddenly everything around  
them disappeared.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Neville's legs went weak under him as abruptly he found himself  
standing not in a forest but in a house- a mansion, rather. He gazed  
up at a ceiling that stood three times as large as he was tall, and  
the chamber into which he had been transported was nearly as large  
as the house he'd shared with his grandmother for most of his life.  
He felt Draco's strong arm aid him in standing, and was most grateful-  
for the sight which met his eyes next was far more overwhelming than  
the elegant room alone could be. For meeting his gaze as he stood   
trembling was a man that often had been described to him, but who  
never before he had encountered.   
  
For the gaze that met his belonged to none other than Lord Voldemort.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Draco waited worriedly as Voldemort drew Neville forward, reading   
into Neville's mind as easily as if it were an open book. No words  
were spoken, and Draco could not determine from watching how the   
interview was proceeding. One thing remained clear to him, however:  
it was too early for this, Neville was not ready. But Draco was a  
death eater of little consequence still, and it was not for him to  
decide when Voldemort initiated Neville. He only hoped that Neville  
survived the process.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Neville stood before Voldemort, feeling the monster, or man, tearing  
into his soul. What was he searching for, Neville wondered, but the  
Lord Voldemort gave no sign. After what felt like hours, but was in  
reality only a few minutes, Voldemort withdrew his touch from Neville's  
mind. "Are you ready, then, to join the ranks of the Death Eaters?"  
  
Unable to answer, unable to speak when faced with Voldemort's piercing  
gaze, Neville only nodded. No, I'm not ready, he wanted to protest.  
I'm not ready to bear your mark, I'm not ready to face death and murder.  
But he said none of this. I'm not ready, Neville thought, but I want  
to join you all the same.  
  
Neville felt the touch of Voldemort's wand upon his arm, and his world  
dissolved into pain.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
After Draco had carried Neville back through the port key, Voldemort  
remained seated in his throne, remembering. Yes, Neville would be   
perfect for his plans, coward though the boy was. Going through his  
mind, Voldemort had seen the echoes of the potential that had once  
led to another loyal servant, Peter Pettigrew.  
  
Yess... Neville would be of use.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
To be Continued.... I'm trying to develop this story with just  
Neville and the Slytherins, since the Gryffindors are all so  
involved in their own love affairs in my other stories.   



	5. Of Family

The Boy Who Cried - Part V  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
To learn more about this fic and its place in the altraverse I've  
created, go to my website at http://www.geocities.com/ratheramutemwiya/  
  
Warning: This is slash, like all my Harry Potter fics. This is Neville  
and Draco... a pairing I have *never* seen before I wrote this, but if  
anyone knows of a Neville/Draco fic out there somewhere, lemme know in  
the review so I can read it!  
  
Warning even to People who can Tolerate Slash: You aren't going to like  
my potrayal of Neville, I can almost guarantee it... but please read  
anyways!!  
  
Note to readers: I'm trying a different style with this, please review  
to tell me what you think of it.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Neville awoke to a stinging pain on his arm. He pulled away the sleeve  
of his robes to reveal... nothing. "Just a dream" Neville whispered   
shakily, speaking to the empty dorm room but really trying to convince  
himself, "Nothing more than a dream." But he could not deny the reality  
shown by the state of his robes: they were torn and shred, and Neville  
knew there was only one reason for it. He could not wear them to class  
again even if he cared to.  
  
Focusing on the practical problem posed by the shredding of his only  
nice clothing, instead of the idealogical problem posed by memories  
of Voldemort's laugh, Neville crossed the room to his wardrobe and  
looked through it despondently. As he had known, none of the robes   
were presentable, all bore the messy patchwork of his ill cast mending  
spells. Then, at the bottom, he saw a glistening of black satin and  
pulled it out warily, knowing with certainty that he had never owned  
anything *satin* in his entire life.   
  
The robes were tailored and smooth, with an elegant trim of silver  
and the embroidered initials "NML" over the wand pocket. Neville   
slid them on and marveled at the effect in the mirror, for never   
had anything felt so warm and protective as these robes. Neville  
sensed magic stiched into every seam of the robes, enveloping him  
in portection and power.   
  
Spying a bulge in one of the pockets, Neville reached in and pulled  
out a torn sheet of parchment. He read:  
Thought you might need these  
~D.  
  
Of course, Neville thought with a grin as he shredded the note and  
tossed it into the wastebin, only Draco *could* afford something of  
this quality. With unusual confidence, Neville took a last pleased  
look in the mirror and walked down to the main hall for breakfast.  
  
Neville did not even glance at the Gryffindor table as he went to  
join Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle - but several of the Gryffindors   
looked up at him. It was ironic, as Dean observed quietly to Seamus,  
that, now that Neville was starting to seem confident and capable as  
a Gryffindor should be, he had deserted his house for that of his  
enemy.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Draco looked up appreciatively as Neville took a seat beside him.  
"You're looking well today, Neville." He teased with an almost   
flirtatious grin that caused Neville to blush.  
  
"Thank you," Neville murmured back to Draco, his words carrying a  
double meaning. He was about to say more, but Dumbledore rose at the  
high table and the room fell into silence as the students waited for  
the morning announcements.  
  
Dumbledore's words droned over the room, and Neville found it   
difficult to pay attention to them. Instead, he focused on the boy  
next to him, watching as Draco's own gaze flitted around the room,  
observing everything and filing it away for his own future purposes.  
Thus Neville was startled when he heard his own name announced.   
"Neville Longbottom is to report to the headmaster's office following  
announcements."  
  
Neville's gaze went involuntarily to his arm, and he shuddered. He  
felt Draco's hand touch his own lightly, reassuringly, but that was  
not consolation enough for what he feared was coming. Neville got to  
his feet and made his way towards Dumbledore's office, and Draco  
could only watch and wait.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Dumbledore was in his office when Neville arrived. Instead of speaking,  
the headmaster pulled a scroll from his desk and passed it to Neville.  
  
Neville read over the scroll hurriedly. A few phrases stuck to his   
mind... "Mr. and Mrs. Longbottom have shown coherent signs of   
improvement... Recovery is unexplained and time of coherence can  
not be determine... Request permission for Neville Longbottom to travel  
from Hogwarts..." Draco's promise, Neville realized with a start. Of  
couse he had thought of it these past few weeks, never had it been far  
from his mind, but he hadn't been expecting this.   
  
Passing the scroll back to Dumbledore with a smile, Neville asked with  
a hope suppressed for years, "May I go see them, sir?"   
  
"Yes, of course." Dumbledore tapped the scroll against his fingers,  
contemplating. "And Neville, perhaps another student should accompany  
you. In case..." He stopped himself with a grimace, but Neville knew  
what he would have said: in case they relapse before you get there,  
in case you can't handle it.  
  
Neville asked nervously, "Could... if he cares to... could Draco Malfoy  
accompany me?"  
  
Dumbledore looked up, startled. While it had not escaped his notice  
that this rather unprecedented friendship had been developing lately,  
he would have thought that someone more, well, to put it bluntly,  
more human would have been Neville's choice. But, it was hardly his  
decision to make, so Dumbledore nodded. "If you wish."   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
An hour later, Neville and Draco stood at the entrance of the Institute  
of Magical Maladies. Neville's legs were leaden as he took each   
trembling step towards his parent's chamber, for despite Draco's  
assurances he did not know what he would find there. His grandmother  
was already present, waiting for the boys to join her.  
  
As Neville walked inside and looked at the two figures sitting there  
with painful calmness, he asked in a hollow voice, "Mom? Dad?"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
To be Continued.... See the box below? Write something there and I  
in turn will write faster.  



	6. Of Time

The Boy Who Cried - Part VI  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
To learn more about this fic and its place in the altraverse I've  
created, go to my website at http://www.geocities.com/ratheramutemwiya/  
  
Warning: This is slash, like all my Harry Potter fics. This is Neville  
and Draco... a pairing I have *never* seen before I wrote this, but if  
anyone knows of a Neville/Draco fic out there somewhere, lemme know in  
the review so I can read it!  
  
Warning even to People who can Tolerate Slash: You aren't going to like  
my potrayal of Neville, I can almost guarantee it... but please read  
anyways!!  
  
Note to readers: This one might seem to move a little quickly   
shipper wise, but I'll try to explain *why* that is. Tell me if I  
succeeded in making it believable in a review, please!!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Draco hovered in the doorway of the room as Neville talked to his   
parents. He ignored their conversation, for he knew most of it to  
be lies, for Neville present to his parents a glowing tale of his own  
life and his studies, leaving out all of his brushes of darkness.   
Why Neville did this Draco did not quite know, but apparently Neville   
wanted his parents to feel proud of him. That way, perhaps, they would  
not feel so guilty for having missed much of Neville's life already.  
Draco ignored the glorified lies, and kept his attention focused instead   
on Neville himself.  
  
The other boy had a certain glow about him, a confidence and pride that  
even Draco had never seen in him before. He suspected that when Neville   
returned to Gryffindor this night, no one else would know what to make  
of the change either.   
  
It was strange, how much love was shown in this reunited family. Years  
had passed where they all had been separated, but it didn't seem to   
change the bond among them. Draco could not imagine caring for his own  
father and mother that way, even with all the time he'd spent in their  
household. They were more strangers to him than these two... madmen,  
for lack of a better term... were to Neville now. As Draco watched   
their exchanges, Draco saw a simplicity of conversation that turned  
to topics that Lucius and Narcissa would scorn outright.   
  
Always Draco had been raised with visions of a glorious future already  
set in stone, as long as he remained focus on his Master's will. His  
father had told him nothing else mattered, that all concerns of the  
present were petty in comparison to this grand scheme. But now, watching  
Neville and his mother exchange a hug of farewell, Draco would have   
traded all the supposed glory of his future for a moment with a loving  
family.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
As the time was fast approaching for them to return to Hogwarts,   
Neville rose. He hesitated before walking out, not wanting to leave,  
and yet knowing that though these people were his parents they had  
been separate from his world too long for the situation to be one of  
comfort if he stayed. "I have to leave now." He whispered, impulsively  
wrapping his arms around his mother in a hug, the first hug exchanged  
between them for many years.  
  
Neville's father stood up to shake his son's hand, an akward gesture  
but one Neville appreciated nonetheless. He glanced in the doorway,  
noticing Malfoy for the first time. "Is this one of your friends?"  
  
Neville glanced back at Malfoy. Friend? Now that was a word he'd never  
thought of for Draco, at least, not in the sense Ron and Harry were  
friends. But... "Yes. This is Draco Malfoy" Neville said firmly. Draco   
shifted uncomfortably, but years of training in ettiquete caused him   
to approach Mr. Longbottom.   
  
"Your son is very successful at Hogwarts, monsiuer. You should be proud  
of him." Draco's words were distant and rather formal, but there was  
still truth behind them.   
  
Mr. Longbottom's eyes had darkened for a moment at the name as he   
came to terms with a rather bitter truth. It seemed that without his  
supervision, without his presence, somehow his only son had fallen   
into the same circle as the son of a deatheater. How far the family  
had fallen, he mourned, but there was nothing he could do. "Thank  
you, Draco. Keep an eye on Neville for me." He glanced back at his  
son with tears in his own eyes. "Take care, Neville. I hope to see  
you again."  
  
Neville nodded, then turned his gaze once more to the clock. "We  
should... we should go then." He went to Draco's side unsteadily,  
and Draco clasped his hand comfortingly. "Goodbye, father...  
mother..."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Outside, Neville and Draco found Professor Snape waiting for them,  
accompanied by Ron Weasley. Snape was pacing irritably in the lobby  
when Draco cleared his throat. "We're ready to leave, Professor."  
He said quietly.  
  
Snape unwillingly let his gaze drift to Neville, and shuddered. Before  
him stood yet another victim of his own selfishness, of his own false  
pride and poor allegiances. I'm so sorry, Neville. The words came to  
his lips, but he did not voice them. Instead, he half snarled, "Very  
well then, if we don't hurry we will miss dinner. Come with me."  
  
The boys followed without another word.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The speed of the Knight Bus was not fast enough for any on board.  
Ron shifted uncomfortably under Draco's cold gaze. Finally Draco  
asked Snape suddenly, "What is *he* doing here?"  
  
Snape glanced back at Ron with the slightest of smiles, so slight  
that Draco was not even certain he had seen it. "He was serving  
detention with me, when Dumbledore asked me to come and pick you  
two up. Since he'd heard the situation regardless, I decided it  
would be best to bring him."  
  
Neville winced at Snape's words, causing Draco to look at him with  
a questioning air. "Later," Neville whispered piercingly, blocking   
any queries from Draco.  
  
Draco nodded, and tried once more to lose himself in the sights of  
evening.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Dinner was halfway over when Snape led the three into the room.  
Rumors had already began to circulate through the crowd by the time  
Neville and Draco were seated at the Slytherin table. Crabbe   
leaned across the table to whisper to Neville, "Well? What happened?"  
  
Neville looked down miserably at his plate. He wasn't up to talking,  
wasn't up to anything. All he wanted right now was to be a child  
again in his mother's arms, with his father beaming down at him.  
He'd felt their disapproval when he'd left the room hand in hand with  
Draco. If they had known what he thought of the other boy, and what he  
had begun to suspect Draco thought of him, they'd go insane once more   
from the shame. Why couldn't things be simpler?  
  
Crabbe exchanged a glance with Draco when nearly a minute passed with  
no answer. "Let him be for now, Crabbe." Draco murmured. "He needs  
time."  
  
Time. Yes, Neville thought, time was exactly what he needed. Time with  
his parents. Time to reshape himself into the person they'd clearly  
wanted and expected him to be. But, looking across the room at the   
table that housed the Gryffindors, Neville wasn't even sure he wanted  
that.  
  
Neville felt a hand clasp his own, and looked up to see Draco's worried  
face. The two said nothing, for no words were needed. Neville felt   
Draco slip a piece of paper into his fingers, and he took it numbly.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
That night, Neville slipped out of bed and past Harry's curtained   
retreat to kneel before Harry's trunk, fumbling with the lock. Neville  
was no master of charms, but over the years he had picked up a lock  
breaker, and he used that now.  
  
Under photo albums and crumpled robes, Neville clasped the soft folds  
of the invisibility cloak. He'd known of the cloak's existence since  
Harry had first recieved it, but he had never been invited to join  
the infamous trio's midnight excursions under it. Now, he had a   
midnight excursion of his own to make. And the cloak was just what  
he needed.  
  
Neville crept past the fat lady and saw, to his shock, that Peeves was  
there apparently flirting with her. Well, to each their own, he thought  
with a half grin. At least it meant that Peeves would be out of his way  
for the rest of the night.  
  
As Neville slipped up the stairs of the Astronomy Tower, he heard the  
impatient footsteps of another already there. "Draco?" He whispered to  
the shadows.  
  
"I'm here."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
To be Continued.... See the box below? Write something there and I  
in turn will write faster. Pretty please!!!  
  



	7. Of Hearts

The Boy Who Cried - Part VII  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
To learn more about this fic and its place in the altraverse I've  
created, go to my website at http://www.geocities.com/ratheramutemwiya/  
  
Warning: This is slash, like all my Harry Potter fics. This is Neville  
and Draco... a pairing I have *never* seen before I wrote this, but if  
anyone knows of a Neville/Draco fic out there somewhere, lemme know in  
the review so I can read it!  
  
Warning even to People who can Tolerate Slash: You aren't going to like  
my potrayal of Neville, I can almost guarantee it... but please read  
anyways!!  
  
Note to readers: Yes, I am aware that this part came out wayyyy   
later than I promised. In actuality, this and the next part of The  
Girl Who Loved were written ages ago, but I wasn't happy with the  
way my first plot had turned out- thus this rewrite. Please review  
with your comments. I'm not happy with it still, so...  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Draco cleared his throat uncomfortably as Neville slipped out of the  
invisibility cloak. The two remained standing apart, a new tension  
between them. Draco, desparate to start some conversation, asked  
suddenly, "So, why were you so angry when Ron showed up today? You  
said you'd tell me later... and if nothing else, it's later."  
  
Neville almost laughed at the mundanity of the query. He could not  
help but contrast it with the romance stories he'd read wistfully  
over the last year- all filled with page after page of loving words  
and poetic exchanges. Somehow, he found this preferable- he could   
not imagine Draco spouting love sonnetts without ensuing hilarity.  
  
Feeling Draco's gaze upon him, Neville blushed. "Oh, right! I just   
didn't want... didn't want to face him, I suppose." Sighing bitterly,   
he continued, "Ron's always had everything, and still he's spent his   
days whining and moaning. I can only take so much exposure to that."  
  
Draco grinned, "Well, as long as that's all."  
  
Neville raised his eyebrows. "What else did you think it might have   
been?"  
  
"I was worried that maybe you... fancied him." The words were out   
before Draco had time to think. Really Draco, he chided himself,   
jealous already and you haven't even admitted yet that you like him.   
  
"Me fancy *Ron*?!" Neville snickered. "Hardly. There's only... there's   
only one boy in this school that I fancy."   
  
Draco focused his gaze on a point above Neville's head. "And there is   
only one I fancy as well."  
  
Neville took a step closer to Draco, one hand extended. "Then, Draco,  
would you consider... going out with me sometime?"  
  
Draco clasped Neville's hand with a nod. "Yes, that would be wonderful."  
  
The sound of Mrs. Norris's meows as she stalked through the corridors   
jolted the boys from their thoughts. Slipping the cloak once more   
around his shoulders, Neville whispered, "I'll see you later, Draco."   
  
Draco smiled at the air in front of him, "Count on it." Turning, he   
hastened back to Slytherin's dungeons, while Neville made his way   
carefully back to the Gryffindor dorm.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Neville whistled cheerfully as he fixed his robes over himself and  
brushed his hair, wanting to look his best. Draco liked him. It was  
silly, it was shameful, it was "wrong"... but Neville didn't care.  
It wasn't like he had any friends to lose by it, indeed, Draco had  
been his first real friend.  
  
Harry watched as Neville came down the stairs to the common room,  
looking so cheerful that Harry grimaced. Even Neville had found   
something to make him happy, whereas he.. the boy who lived Potter..  
remained alone. Hermione, Ginny, and Ron had already passed this   
way, all ignoring him. As if he no longer mattered. As if he might  
as well not exist.   
  
Gathering his books, Harry left the common room in silence, leaving  
the laughter and joy behind to those who belonged there. It seemed  
he didn't belong anywhere any more.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Akwardness fell upon Neville as he approached the Slytherin table.  
Pansy was there. He'd forgotten about her, somehow, last night.  
Now, as she sat smugly beside Draco, her presence was almost too  
real for Neville to handle and he halted, looking to Draco for   
some sign.   
  
Draco and Pansy had never seemed like a strong couple to Neville,  
but then, he rarely saw them together. Draco clearly prefered  
the company of Crabbe and Goyle to Pansy... since Neville had  
joined Draco's little group, he'd encountered Pansy even less than  
previously. But still...  
  
Seeing Neville standing alone, Draco gestured for him to join them.  
Neville grimaced, but decided there was nothing to be gained by  
avoidance. His robes fluttering around him, he took a seat beside  
Draco.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Pansy looked at Draco worriedly. For days he'd been avoiding her...  
and now, he seemed far more interested in Neville than her. After  
yet another unsuccessful attempt at engaging him in conversation,  
Pansy turned to her food, stabbing her fork angrily into the eggs  
on her plate as she tried to contain her fury. How *dare* Draco  
ignore her?  
  
Draco looked from Pansy to Neville. Neither one seemed too pleased  
with him at the moment. He hadn't expected to keep both of them as  
dates, but he had thought they would at least be willing to play  
along while he worked out what to do. His choice was made, had been  
made last night, but it was still dreadfully unfair of Pansy to   
sit and act like Draco had committed an unredeemable sin by not  
spending time with her.  
  
Neville was an annoyance too, much as Draco hated to admit it.  
Draco wasn't cut out for a monogamous relationship... and he could  
hardly declare to the school his intention of dating Neville even  
if that were all he wanted.  
  
Finishing his meal, Draco turned politely to Pansy. "Pansy dear,  
would you mind meeting me in the library after breakfast. We need  
to talk." With that, he rose and left the main hall.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
As Pansy made her way to the library, she already knew what Draco  
was going to say. Those words... "We need to talk"... Pansy had  
always prided herself that no one would say them to her, that she  
would always leave her lovers first, before they could hurt her.  
But Draco had always been different. She'd been hoping not to  
have to leave him at all, and so she had ignored the signs he was  
drifting away from her. And now, she had lost him.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
To be Continued.... See the box below? Write something there and I  
in turn will write faster. Pretty please!!!  
  



	8. **First multistory chapter!**

Continuation for all stories!  
  
Author's Note: Yes, it has been a while. Blame AP tests and   
final exams. Not to mention a few million other distractions,  
most originating from school. Anyhoo, this portion replaces  
my little teaser for the Girl Who Loved V and acts as the next  
part for *all* three fics.  
  
Disclaimer: THIS IS S-L-A-S-H! And this is where it starts to   
show up, not all that physically quite yet, but if that sort   
of thing offends you for whatever bigoted reason you may have,   
then go read something else. Please. Otherwise, read on, and   
I'd love to hear from anyone with similar tastes :-) (Thanks   
to Charlotte for being the first person to read the author's  
note *and* reply to it :-D )  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Ron sidled closer to Hermione, wrapping his arm around the  
back of her chair as he leaned in to study the potions book.  
Hermione shifted uncomfortably under his touch, but put up  
with the casual contact without comment for the sake of   
appearances. She heard Lavender and Parvati giggling in the  
corner and blushed faintly- she knew what they were thinking,  
and didn't much approve of it. But... to hide her secret,   
she'd do what was neccessary. With a sigh, she snuggled closer  
to Ron.   
  
She didn't notice Ginny enter the common room and storm up  
the stairs in disgust.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Ginny lay alone in her dorm room, trying to lose herself in a  
battered copy of "101 Things About the Dark Arts (that your   
teacher *never* taught you)." Ginny had found it discarded on  
the floor of the Gryffindor common room, and seeing that the  
name on the inside cover was "Neville Longbottom" she knew for  
a fact no one would guess it had been taken for days, so being  
too lazy to face the library, she'd "borrowed" it. Besides,   
the book held a strange fascination for her. Its descriptions   
of death and torture were certainly far more palatable than   
the new Hogwarts romance being enacted downstares.  
  
Not that Ginny would care about that. Not that all she could   
think about was the sight of Hermione and Ron together   
"studying".   
  
After all, it wasn't as if Ginny had been dumped.  
  
At least, not yet.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Hermione waved to Ron as he departed on some small errand of   
his own, and waited until he'd passed through the Fat Lady's  
portrait before she hurried up to the girls dorm rooms.   
"Ginny?" She whispered, rapping gently on the door of the   
fifth year room. The door swung open to allow Hermione to  
enter.  
  
"Hey there, carrot top." Hermione said fondly as she took   
a lazy perch beside Ginny on the bed, running her fingers   
through her girlfriend's hair.  
  
"Hi, book worm." Ginny replied absently, her gaze not leaving  
her book.  
  
Hermione peered over Ginny's shoulder and read aloud from the  
page, "The corpsus concealus charm is used for funerals and   
any other necessary disposal of corpses. Originally developed  
by a crafty undertaker, the charm is now a standard spell in  
the tomes of Dark Arts practicioners. In one documented case,  
a follower of He Who Must Not Be Named used a variant of the  
spell to bury his victim alive..." She trailed off with a   
shudder. "How can you read this?"  
  
Ginny smiled unpleasantly. "I suppose it is rather morbid,   
but then, it suits my mood perfectly."  
  
Hermione frowned, taking the book from Ginny's hands and   
meeting her gaze worriedly. "And why is that?"  
  
"Why don't you go ask Ron?" Ginny replied fiercely. Grabbing  
the book back, she rose and stormed out of the room.  
  
Hermione's eyes watched Ginny leave, before she followed slowly.  
There was no talking to Ginny when she was like this. One   
thing was clear, however- Hermione needed to sort matters   
out with Ron.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
By the time Hermione located Ron in the main dining hall, it  
was time to go to Snape's class. The two walked together, but  
in the bustling corridors there was no chance to talk. Ron  
escorted Hermione in to Snape's dungeon only a few minutes  
before the start of class, leading her up to a seat right near  
Snape's desk. Dracao and Neville were seated across the aisle   
from them, along with their companions Crabbe and Goyle. Ron  
eyed the group nervously, but with no other seats in the room  
available there wasn't much he could do about being close to  
them.   
  
Draco met Weasley's gaze fiercely, smirking to himself when the  
other boy turned away. He unconciously stroked Neville's pale  
hand, not willing to speak but wanting to offer the other boy  
what assurances he could. He'd felt Neville tense as Ron drew  
near, and although he did not know the reason, he would venture  
to guess that it was in some way his fault.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Severus stormed in to the classroom, his robes billowing around  
him and revealing the black pajama pants he'd left on from when  
he'd stumbled out of bed only minutes earlier. If any of his   
students planned to laugh, their mirth was silenced by the   
ferocity of his glare. As he took his seat in front of the class  
room and regarded his students wordlessly, even Draco shifted  
uncomfortably in his seat. Finally Snape spoke, in a voice that-  
though barely louder than a whisper- carried into the darkest   
corners and caused even the spiders there to flee in terror.  
"Get out your cauldrons and open your tomes to the Lupus Noctus  
potion. I'll be checking them for imperfections in half an   
hour."  
  
Draco was first on his feet, opening his tome and going to the   
back table to gather the necessary ingredients. Other students  
followed only after they had reassured themselves that Snape   
wasn't planning to fry any student that moved. When Ron rose,  
Snape again spoke, just the sound causing many students to   
freeze guiltily in their tracks. "Weasley. I need to see you  
in my office."  
  
Ron gaped at him- what office, and why? But when Snape walked  
to the back of the room and opened a door Ron hadn't even *seen*  
before, Ron was quick to follow, gathering with him the notes  
he and Hermione had made on the memorious potion. The two   
disappeared from the room.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Even with Snape gone, there was little conversation among the  
students. Draco watched the door of Snape's office worriedly.  
When Neville touched his arm and drew him back to reality,   
Draco shook his head. "Poor Weasley."  
  
"Now that's something I never expected to hear from you."   
Neville commented dryly.  
  
"Well I've rarely seen Snape that angry before." Draco replied  
with a shrug. "The way I see it, two things could be happening.  
Either Snape's about to detatch Weasley's head from his neck,  
or those two are sleeping together."  
  
"That's a bit of a stretch, isn't it?" Neville said with a grin.  
  
"Not as much as you might think. He *is* gay, you know. Father  
told me he and Lockhart almost got suspended for "inappropriate  
displays of affection when they went to school here. Lucky for  
Lockhart that Dumbledore decided to keep it quiet."  
  
"I bet that Skeeter woman would just love to hear about that."  
Neville grinned almost wickedly. "Just imagine how many hearts  
it would break if people found out Lockhart was gay."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
End of the first joint part in the series! Please review: what  
do you think of this style?  
  



	9. **Second multistory chapter!**

Continuation for all stories!  
  
Author's Note: Yes, it has been a while. Blame AP tests and   
final exams. Not to mention a few million other distractions,  
most originating from school. Anyhoo, this portion continues  
from the last multistory part- once the students are out of   
potions class it will return to the usual separate stories,   
however, so bear with me here if you prefer that :-)  
  
Disclaimer: THIS IS S-L-A-S-H! And this is where it starts to   
show up, not all that physically quite yet, but if that sort   
of thing offends you for whatever bigoted reason you may have,   
then go read something else. Please. Otherwise, read on, and   
I'd love to hear from anyone with similar tastes :-)   
  
PS: For those of you who clamoured for more of Harry- I don't  
remember who it was, but I'm sure it was someone- you'll get   
it in this chapter!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Harry stood in the back of the potions classroom, akwardly  
gathering his ingredients together as he searched the room   
for a partner. For a moment, however brief, Harry wished  
that Colin Creevey were in the class- at least then he   
wouldn't have to be alone. As it was, the only Gryffindor  
without a partner was Hermione. And Harry refused to humble  
himself by going over to her. Which left the Slytherins.  
Well, what the hell? Neville had done it. So could he.  
  
Pansy Parkinson edged away from Milicent Bulstrode warily.  
She looked around hopelessly for Draco, but he was nowhere  
to be found. Not again! Pansy was sick of Draco avoiding   
her- she'd waited for him for over an hour in the library  
that very morning when he said he'd meet her there, but   
he never had. And now, he'd left her to babysit Millicent.  
Well, not today. Marching to the back of the room, Pansy  
went to confront Draco- and almost collided with Harry.  
  
Harry gritted his teeth in annoyance as several of his   
carefully chopped glow worms went flying from his cauldron.  
"Is there some reason you're running through the classroom,  
Parkinson?" He snapped icily.  
  
"None of your business, Potter." She noted with surprise   
that the boy wonder was working alone. Oh no, Pansy- you  
aren't really thinking that. Well... why not? At the very  
least, it might make Draco jealous. "Potter... do you need  
a lab partner?"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Hermione tossed the last of the ingredients into her potion,  
setting it to boil with a flick of her wand. She glanced up  
at the clock- Ginny would be in Transfiguration right now.   
Mayhbe working on her shielding spells would help Ginny blow  
off some steam. Hopefully. Because otherwise, she would have  
to get Ron to tell Ginny that there was nothing going on   
between them.   
  
And that would be problematic... because Hermione wanted Ron  
to ask her to the upcoming Yule Dance. She couldn't exactly   
go with Ginny, and as a prefect she needed to be there. If   
at all possible, she had to settle this without getting Ron  
involved.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Ron stared in awe around the room that served as Snape's  
"office." Everything was black, green, or silver- clearly,  
Snape's devotion to House Slytherin ran deep. Or he wanted  
people to believe it did. Either way, it didn't surprise  
him. What surprised him was that this was clearly no office.  
A wardrobe and bookshelf lined one wall across from a   
luxorious four poster bed, but there was no desk in sight.  
  
Severus fumed silently as he led Ron into his chambers.  
The image of Lockhart suffering through the night as he  
lost some of his newly regained memories was still fresh  
in his mind, and it was hard for him not to give into the  
temptation to strangle Ron right then and there. However,  
he valued his position at Hogwarts too much for that.  
And besides, physical strength had never been one of his  
traits.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Any student at Hogwarts could attest that there was   
nothing quite so terrifying as being stared down by Snape.  
For Ron, the terror was twofold, as he hadn't the slightest  
idea what he'd done to deserve the Professor's rage. Snape's  
gaze had the same ability to petrify as the stare of a   
baskilisk, and Ron felt that all too clearly now as he  
quivered before him. When Snape *still* did not speak,   
Ron could handle it no longer.   
  
The first words to escape Ron's lips were- unsurprisingly  
considering who he was faced with- an apology. "Professor  
Snape, I'm sorry I didn't make it to mix the potion for  
you yesterday... but I couldn't get out until late and  
then it was time for light's out..."  
  
Snape rolled his eyes in disgust. "And just why was it,   
Weasley," he murmured venomously, "That you couldn't   
find the time for it earlier? This isn't some assignment  
you can blow off and forget about.  
  
"This is a man's mind. Does that mean nothing to you?"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Neville's potion making abilities suffered from his   
perpetual distraction, and though he had the decency not  
to comment, Draco was beginning to get more than a little  
frustrated with him. Finally, when Neville looked up   
from his cauldron to glance at the door of Snape's office  
for the sixteenth time- Draco had been counting- he could  
take it no more. "What is it, Neville?? Is there something  
fascinating about that door the rest of us just can't see?"  
  
Having the decency to blush at the question, Neville said  
in a whisper, "It's nothing, really."  
  
Draco smiled cynically. "My dear Neville, 'nothing' isn't  
worth all the attention you've been directing over there.  
So what is it?"  
  
"Well..." Neville giggled, a rather feminine sound for all  
that it came from the mouth of a teenage boy. "I was just  
wondering what Ron and Snape are really up to, I guess."  
  
"I bet they're making out."  
  
"Draco!" Neville gasped with a mix of embarrassment and  
shock. "Really... that's just bloody unlikely."  
  
"You think so, eh?" Draco smirked. "I'll make you a bet.  
If Ron comes out of there looking...satisfied, you buy  
me dinner tonight in Hogsmeade."  
  
"Well..." Neville pretended to consider it. "That's not  
really fair, is it? He could come out of there looking  
happy for some other reason, for all you know."  
  
Draco gave him a look. "Oh yes, because we all know that  
being dragged into Snape's office is an occasion for   
such joy and celebration. Especially when Snape looks  
as mad as he did earlier."  
  
Neville grinned- Draco certainly had a point. It wasn't   
like Snape had called Ron in there to throw him a party  
or something. "Alright, it's a bet. But if... correction,  
*when*... I end up winning, you owe me dinner tonight."  
  
The two shook on it, both confident that they would win.  
Neville was certain of it, even.  
  
After all... if Ron were gay, surely Neville would have   
noticed it before now.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Harry and Pansy labored in silence, neither one willing  
to be the first to speak. The cauldron between them   
simmered as it boiled while the two of them simmered   
equally inside- with the heat of rage. Ever since being  
cast off by their respective significant others, both  
had been alone. And from their loneliness only hatred  
had risen.  
  
If anyone had told Harry a year ago that he'd have more   
in common with Pansy than with Hermione, he'd have laughed.   
But now, as he fell deeper into self imposed isolation,   
he felt a kinship with Pansy that he would never before   
have imagined.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Hermione hovered over her potion as it boiled, checking  
and rechecking the list of ingredients as she put the   
finishing touches on it. Now all she needed was for   
Snape to come out and criticize it... should only be  
a few minutes from now, she thought wrily, glancing up  
at the clock.   
  
Even after several years of taking potions, a way to  
please Snape with her endeavors had still not come to   
her. She'd read all the textbooks, made all the potions  
with enviable precision, and none of it seemed to have  
helped. And now, she had another perfect potion on her  
hands that he would pass by with only a snarl.  
  
Hermione looked again at the list of ingredients. What  
was it Ron had said yesterday... ingredients not making  
sense... Hmm. Why was it, she wondered, that unicorn  
hair was in here? Phoenix feathers would be more   
effective...  
  
Suddenly resolved, Hermione went and poured her potion  
down the sink, ignoring the horrified gasps of her   
classmates. Returning to the ingredients table, she   
began to pick out new supplies... this time with her  
own variations.  
  
For once, her grade was the furthest thing from her  
mind.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Draco and Neville sat on the bench near their cauldron,  
bored. Their potion had been finished over fifteen minutes  
before, thanks to Draco's rather inventive shortcuts.  
  
Neville watched as Hermione dumped her entire potion  
into the sink. "What do you think got into her?" He   
whispered, nudging Draco and gesturing over to Hermione.  
  
Draco grinned, a hearty laugh escaping him. "Maybe the   
little Granger finally wisened up."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
End of the second joint part in the series! Please review:   
what do you think of this style? There will be another part   
like this to finish off the sequence before it returns to   
my usual style :-D  
  
ATTENTION ALL READERS: I'm looking for a beta reader for   
future parts... there are so many details to keep track of  
these days that I need some help. If you'd be willing to   
help out, leave a review with your email address.  
  



	10. **Third multistory chapter!**

Third Continuation for all stories!  
  
Author's Note: Yes, I'm picking this story up again after   
leaving it unfinished for months. :-)  
  
Disclaimer: THIS IS S-L-A-S-H! And this is where it starts to   
show up, not all that physically quite yet, but if that sort   
of thing offends you for whatever bigoted reason you may have,   
then go read something else. Please. Otherwise, read on, and   
I'd love to hear from anyone with similar tastes :-)   
  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Ron glared at Snape, angered by the accusation. He'd spent hours  
trying to find a cure for Lockhart, hours that should have gone   
towards Quidditch or romance or even homework-- and now Snape  
had the nerve to accuse him of being indifferent to Lockhart's   
plight! Rage rose in him, and rage made him bold. "I know this  
is a man's mind we're dealing with-- but it's you who needs my  
help, not the other way around. I've put hours into Lockhart's  
care, and I will continue to do so for his sake, so don't you  
*dare* accuse me of betraying him, or you, again!"  
  
Professor Snape's eyebrow raised, the only visible sign of his  
suprise. Well, well, he thought, so the Weasley has a backbone  
after all. The stress of watching Lockhart recover, only to watch  
him deteriorate again, had made him unreasonable. Whether he   
wanted to face it or not, Snape was dependent on Ron now, for in  
Ron's hands alone lay the ability to restore Lockhart's memories.  
  
"Forgive me, Mr. Weasley." The words were spoken with all of  
Snape's bitterness behind them, but at least he had managed to  
force them out. "I hope- I know- that you are just as concerned   
for Gild... for Mr. Lockhart as I. This last evening events   
forced me to come to term with the fact that Lockhart's condition  
might in some way be my... fault. I cannot risk brewing the  
potion for him again. If you would consent to be my lab assistant...  
at least for the next month... then perhaps there is hope for him."  
  
Ron's anger relented some, for he was only too familiar with   
pride, and the pain of having to relinquish it to ask for help.  
Snape's offer was more of a concession than he would have expected-  
professors rarely tapped a student to be an assistant, and when they  
did, it was normally a seventh year or at least a prefect. If  
Snape gave him that honor, he wouldn't have to worry about being  
caught out of bounds after "light's out" or any such infractions...  
it would be the perfect cover to help Lockhart. And even if Lockhart  
had been an insufferable git before, even he didn't deserve to   
continue like this. But working with Snape... Ron had certainly   
never expected to be in that position. "I would be honored, then,  
to work with you."  
  
Snape smiled, knowing very well that Ron could think of many more  
enticing ways to spend his free hours then working with Hogwarts'   
most loathed professor. "Very well then, I will file the necessary   
paperwork with Dumbledore. I'll expect you by tonight after dinner  
to work on the potion?"  
  
Ron nodded, encouraged by Snape's apparent good humor, and hastened  
to add, "Yes, I'll be there.. and there's something else, too, last  
night I did some research into the potion... I have a few ideas for  
how to speed up its effect."  
  
Snape doubted that a student could have uncovered anything that he  
hadn't noticed, but decided to indulge him nonetheless, "Bring your  
research with you then. But for now, I believe there's a potion in  
the other room awaiting your attention." He opened the door to the  
classroom and ushered Ron in before him.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
When Ron returned to the cauldron where Hermione was working furiously,  
she barely acknowleged his approach. Ron watched her actions confused,  
for the ingredients she had out, not to mention the order she was  
adding them, didn't seem to follow the recipe in the textbook.  
  
"Err... Hermione? Are you sure that's right?"  
  
She finally glanced up at him, and began speaking rapidly, "Well, I'm  
not sure it's right... but you see, the original recipe called for   
phoenix feathers and that didn't seem logical because that would   
actually dilute the effects of the toad's feet so instead I'm adding  
swan feathers to keep the essence fundamentally in the element of   
water but then..."  
  
Ron raised his hand, cutting her off with a laugh, "You lost me a   
long time ago, 'Mione. I'm sure whatever you're doing will work fine."  
  
With a shrug, Hermione returned to her potion.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Far more interested in Ron and Professor Snape's return were Draco and  
Neville, who watched them eagerly as they looked for signs of a proper  
resolution to their bet. When they saw Ron had just a hint of a smile  
on his face, and Snape didn't even look as angry as he had when he'd  
left, Draco grinned in triumph. "See? I told you they'd be happy. You  
owe me dinner."  
  
Neville sighed, acknowledging the loss. "That's still a little creepy..  
I mean... *Snape*?"  
  
Draco smirked, "Well, even professors need to get laid."  
  
Neville shuddered, squeaking slightly at the image.  
  
Footsteps behind them stopped any further conversation. "Are you finished  
yet, Mr. Malfoy, Mr. Longbottom?"  
  
Draco turned to Snape with an eager nod. "Oh of course, we were finished  
*ages* ago."  
  
Snape looked at the potion quickly, checking for consistency and color.  
Finally he nodded. "Creative as always, Mr. Malfoy. 5 points to Slytherin."  
  
At Malfoy's pointed look, Snape sighed. "And much improved, Mr. Longbottom.  
Mr. Malfoy has been a good influence on you, it seems. 5 points to...   
Gryffindor. You two might as well leave early, I don't expect any of the   
rest of these bunglers to be done any time soon."  
  
Draco and Neville were quick to exit, amid the glowers of jealous   
classmates still slaving over their cauldrons.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
A half an hour later, Snape was making his final rounds checking potions  
and dismissing students when he reached Ron and Hermione. He already  
knew what to expect, a by the book potion that took no talent to produce,  
no knowledge, just pure and bland memorization.  
  
So it was with suprise and perhaps even pleasure that Snape regarded  
the potion, noting it's slightly darker color and the assortment of odd  
ingredients around the table.   
  
Hermione was flushed with pleasure as she paused in her stirring and  
waited for Snape's appraisal.   
  
"Swan feathers, Ms. Granger?" Snape finally asked, a hint of a smirk  
on his lips.  
  
Hermione swallowed. "To replace the phoenix feathers."  
  
"Did you consider the ramifications to the overall consistency?"  
  
"I tried to compensate with ginseng, which should have been neutral  
to the overall effect..."  
  
"Unless there was mandrake present for it to react with, which in this  
case there was. Note the colour."  
  
Hermione groaned, realizing she'd completely overlooked that.  
  
"Still... a reasonable effort. Full marks, but next time consider the  
full ramifications of any ingredients you add." With that, Snape moved  
on to the next pair.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Harry and Pansy had long ago lost interest in their potion, which had  
been completed halfheartedly and pronounced by Pansy suitable. They were  
now far more intent on their discussion of their classmates, and the  
apparent twists of personality and friendships that had marked the   
beginning of the year.  
  
"... and now Draco's been hanging around with *Longbottom* of all people,  
and completely ignoring me."  
  
"...Hermione's disappeared into the library, she won't even talk to me. And  
Ron seems more interested in seeking her out then bothering with me any  
more."  
  
There was almost a feeling of kinship between them, though their chatter was  
interrupted by Snape's approach. He glanced at their potion, sighed, and   
pronounced it "Barely satisfactory." With that, he marched out, leaving  
the few remaining students to gather their belongings and rush out with all  
the speed they could manage.  
  
Harry lingered, watching Pansy as she carefully packed her notes into a   
green and black shoulder bag. When she finally looked up at them, they stood  
in silence for an uncomfortable moment. "So..." Harry finally said.  
  
Seeing that Harry, for all his fame, was incapable of taking any initiative,  
Pansy inquired, "You have any plans for lunch?"  
  
Harry shook his head, but didn't speak.  
  
Sighing in exhasperation, Pansy asked pointedly, "Would you care to join me,  
then?"  
  
She finally got through to him, and he smiled. "I'd love to."  
  
Hand in hand, they headed to the Great Hall.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 


End file.
